One Judge

The Casey Anthony Trial.  Yes, I’m going to go there. 

On Tuesday, the world reeled at the verdict of Not Guilty to the most severe charges towards Casey Anthony.  Today  sentencing was handed down and Casey Anthony will be free in merely six days, the world reeled again.  Although I did not watch the entire courtroom proceedings, for about the last two weeks I have been completely obsessed with this case so deeply that the couch has been stuck to my butt and the TV has been glued to my eye sockets.  It’s almost to the point of embarrassment.  The result of my obsession is piles of laundry and jiggly thighs.  Um,the jiggly thighs can also be contributed to a bag of cherry sours.  But whatever. 

I’m not going to give my opinion on whether Casey is guilty or innocent, primarily because my opinion does not matter, nor did it ever.    But I am going to give my opinion on the hoopla surrounding this case.  And then I’m going to get all preachy on you, because sometimes it overcomes me.  So if you don’t feel like hearing a sermon today, from someone unqualified to give one, you might want to click on over to a less opinionated website. 

I’ll pause while you decide.

First off, I completely blame the media and social networking for the brouhaha that has shrouded this case.   Fifty years ago, if a mother was accused of killing her child, very few people would even be aware of the outcome.  Perhaps a newspaper or two would report THE FACTS and life would go on.  Instead we have reporters, lawyers, journalists, and a sundry of others coloring the case and the opinions of us all.

As the verdict was rendered Tuesday, and as the sentencing was announced today, I was one of the million Americans online with facebook and twitter reading the comments of friends and strangers alike, and quite frankly I am appalled at the HATE and poison that has been spewed out over social media networks.  I believe people should have an opinion, it’s a first amendment right, but to know the thoughts that some people think is a little too much for me.  Not only the insults towards the defendant but also comments addressed to the jurors  have almost sickened me.  One twitter I read said Casey Anthony deserves to be raped.  Many others call her names and are hoping terrible, unspeakable acts upon her and also to the 12 who served on the jury.  The judge even spoke of a threat to a juror to be fileted, salted, and fed to the pirahnas.

On the other hand, I’ve also read something that said, “You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’  I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder.”  In case you don’t know, those were the words of Jesus.

In The Message, it goes on to read in Matthew Chapter 5, verse 22 “The simple moral fact is that words kill.”

Are we glorifying God with our opinions concerning this case?  Do we please Him when we tweet the things we do about one of His children?  After all, she is His child as much as I am.  As much as we don’t want it to be true, He loves her.  His love is unconditional, thankfully.  He died for her as much as He died for me.  And you.  My sin is no different from hers. Perhaps the only difference is that I know a Savior, and prayerfully we should desire Casey Anthony to know Him as well.  For that is our hope.

Yes, a child is dead and no one is being punished for it.  Yet.  But there will come a day when all will stand before the judgment seat of God and answer to Him.  Including me.  Including you.  And if Jesus himself said being angry at another is the same as murder, I suggest we all reflect on our words and actions and ask forgiveness. 

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.”  And if I may be so bold as to put this verse in 2011 terms, “Let my tweets and facebook statuses be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.”

As Christians we are called to love one another.  In Luke Chapter 6 Jesus tells us: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Let’s be merciful with our words.

If you want to turn your emotions into something good, you can go to http://change.org and sign a petition to get Caylee’s law enacted.  This law will make it a federal offense if a parent/guardian does not report a missing child in a timely manner.

Now let’s love one another today.

Angel